When one comes to the quality of the bunkers and other hazards we pass into realm of much dispute and argument. Primarily bunkers should be sand bunkers purely, not composed of gravel, stones or dirt. Whether this or that bunker is well placed, has caused more intensely heated arguments outside of the realms of religion, than has ever been my lot to listen to. C.B. MACDONALD
Available via Amazon (US): Golf Architecture For Normal People
Barnes And Noble (online and in stores)
Bookshop.org option to support local independent bookstores.
Reviews:
"Golf Architecture for Normal People . . . should be required reading for those who are not ashamed to admit they know little about the subject, and for those who think they do . . . . Golf course architecture geeks have trouble slimming their thoughts down to bite-sized chunks, but Shackelford has achieved a remarkable success here." —Independent (Ireland)
"From the relative newcomer who’s slowly getting hooked to those that have played the game for most of their lives and think they know a thing or two, Golf Architecture for Normal People provides a solid and sober perspective that will help everyone recognize why some golf courses are worth playing more than once while a single trip around others is all you’re ever likely to want or need." —Links Magazine.
“It’s a wonderful book. An easy read that arrives just in time for your summer reading list. If you’ve never thought about how an appreciation for course design could heighten your enjoyment of the game, you must check this out.”—The Peterborough Examiner
"As in his prior publications, in his newest book Shackelford shows a deep appreciation for what can be done to create a golf course that appeals to the broadest possible golfing audience…Shackelford’s prose is succinct, often witty, and accessible."—Cape Gazette
"Author, blogger and golf architecture expert Geoff Shackelford, who helped Gil Hanse design Rustic Canyon and restore 2023 U.S. Open host Los Angeles Country Club, taps into his passion by creating a guide that helps every golfer understand the nuances of course design. Published by Tatra Press, the 164-page hardcover book is a must-read for every golfer to better understand the game they love." —Golf Pass
"Shackelford provides an informative picture [and]...sprinkles in history lessons about those who planted the game's architectural roots, defines common terms and helps you hone your eyes when it comes to identifying some of the tricks of the trade."—FORE Magazine
"This new book does a great job demystifying golf course design ideas for average players, but can also be a beneficial read fro PGA Professionals and other golf course employees to get a better understanding of their home courses." —PGA Magazine
Jungle Bird Was Offered A Refund If He Was Coming To Merion
/Jungle Bird of 2012 U.S. Open fame was offered a full refund in case he was thinking of crashing the 2013 U.S. Open trophy ceremony. Or the tournament in any way.
Deadspin's Samer Kalef with the story and the USGA's offer via letter.
Olympic Routs Kiawah In 2012 Tougest Tests List
/Where's Mike Davis When You Need Him? Jungle Bird Resurfaces
/At the Notre Dame-Navy game of all places. A shame the USGA Executive Director wasn't there to tackle the nut.
Lawrie On Skipping The U.S. Open: "The number of people who have since told me I missed nothing has been reassuring."
/Webb On Wendy's And Other Post U.S. Open Notes
/Olympic Club Preparing Another U.S. Open Invite
/Andy Zhang Resurfaces; Wishes He Would Have Cut Off The Media Questions Sooner
/Stephen Fastenau talks to the 14-year-old U.S. Open contestant about his appearance at Olympic Club as Andy Zhang prepares for the AJGA event at Hilton Head Plantation.
The 14-year-old landed in the U.S. Open field after Paul Casey withdrew with an injury. He played a Tuesday practice round with Masters champion Watson, and after walking off the 18th green was surrounded by media members who didn't stop asking questions.
"It's my first time doing all this stuff," Zhang said. "I should have said 'Stop,' when I wanted to stop. I didn't know what to do. I kept going and answering questions. I didn't want to keep up the group behind us."
Ah the young lad, who was better than most twice his age at answering questions, just needs to understand that we didn't want to talk to the geezers behind him.
Beau Returning To Congressional On Sponsor's Invite
/Jonathan Wall on the AT&T National jumping on the Beau Hossler bandwagon by giving the high schooler and recent U.S. Open contender a spot in this year's field at Congressional, where he played in last year's national championship.
Ryan Ballengee says Hossler hoped for an all-UT pairing but the tour won't be going that direction.
The 17-year-old hoped to be grouped with a pair of Texas Longhorns in current player Jordan Spieth and alumnus Justin Leonard. Hossler, entering his senior year of high school in the fall, has already committed to the University of Texas for his collegiate golf. However, the PGA Tour will not group the trio, a Tour official said.
**Barry Svrluga talks to Hossler and profiles him for the Washington Post.
When the AT&T National begins Thursday at Bethesda’s Congressional Country Club, Hossler will be the youngest member of a 120-man field. Eleven of those players, most notably tournament host Tiger Woods, have won major championships. But only three of them led the most recent major, the U.S. Open: Woods, Jim Furyk — and Hossler.
“The whole experience just helped my confidence,” Hossler said. “I just respect the games of those players so much. They’re the best in the world. But now, I think if I play well, I can play with them and compete.”
Berman's Contract, USGA Support Means We Have A Year To Prepare For Onslaught Of Merion Puns
/Plodders Rejoice...A Review Of The 2012 U.S. Open Setup
/The digital edition of Golf World has been emailed to subscribers and those of you mysteriously not subscribing should be able to read my story analyzing last week's setup of Olympic Club.
In my story I only included a few holes as examples, but here's the entire comparison of the non-one-shot holes and the "Fairways Hit" stats in 1998 compared to this year. You'll see that other than a few exceptions, the players hit far fewer fairways despite being armed with better equipment than in 1998.
Hole '98% '12%
1 55 63
2 67 54
4 47 33
5 42 34
6 59 52
7 59 21
9 45 34
10 63 52
11 57 55
12 55 44
14 69 51
16 69 51
17 62 40
18 64 61
Total 58.5 46
Green in regulation percentage for the field was virtually identical in 1998, 52.5% compared to 52% in 2012.
Webb Passing On The Next Major
/"The Burger Dogs were so good (and the golf so irredeemable) that our group went back after the 14th hole as well for seconds."
/Steve DiMeglio (here) and Scott Michaux (here) filed entertaining accounts of their Monday rounds at Olympic and I was pleased to see Michaux came away a tad critical of the fairway widths that I noted left something to be desired in my Golf World story.
But even better was Michaux's defense of the Bill Burger that validated which I love and which came under intense scrutiny and criticism in the media center when overcooked impostors were served up to the dastardly ditchdiggers each afternoon.
Olympic’s famous Bill’s Burger Dogs are the greatest thing ever served at a halfway house. GREATEST THING EVER!
I’m not talking about the version of the curious hamburger shaped to fit on a hot dog bun that was served to folks who attended the U.S. Open. That was like eating imitation crab meat. Not the real thing.
“Terrible ... inedible,” is how Patricia, the woman who was cooking them up fresh in the halfway house near the 10th green, described the mass-produced facsimiles during the Open. She explained how the California Board of Health came in and mandated that each burger be eviscerated to 160 degrees until they were leathery slabs of meat that would eventually reach the person eating it about two hours after coming off the grill.
The version Patricia cooked fresh to request for everyone (the preferred color was just a little pink unless you really wanted it cooked more) and put on a toasted bun was sublime. It is the perfect mid-round snack/lunch that is easy to grab and go without making the mess that a normal burger would.
Davis May Have Missed His Secret Service Calling: First Noticed 'Jungle Bird' On The Seventh Tee
/Brett Cyrgalis talked to Mike Davis at the airport and learned this about the Executive Director's Sunday, which ended with a takedown of a strange man invading the trophy ceremony.
“I was officiating the last group [Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell], and the first time I saw him was on the seventh tee,” Davis said. “He was shouting a ‘cuckoo’ there, but when they were set to play he stopped and was respectful.
“I just thought, ‘Boy, look at that way he’s dressed,’ ” Davis said. “It’s just one of those things.”
FYI Mary Lopuszynski: Next Year's Must Have Merion Merchandise Tent Item
/Thanks to reader Emile for discovering this item that MUST get on the radar ASAP for Mary Lopuszynski, the USGA's director of U.S. Open Merchandising.
I can easily see the U.S. Open/Merion logo on the front near the end of the faux 'hawk.
Maybe Jungle Bird could pose in the tent with buyers?